[TriLUG] OT: Blown Insulation (was: webcam on a stick?)

[Brian]

Joe, thanks for such an informative post.  My home's attic is also full 
of blown-in insulation, and DIYer that I am, I'd love to know the safest 
way to protect myself from that junk.

Is there an easy way to determine what kind it is, either this cellulose 
stuff you mention or fiberglass?  The house was built in 1971, but I 
have no idea if this insulation was installed then.

Should I go to the trouble/expense of having it [professionally] removed 
and replaced with batted insulation?  There's a layer of batted 
insulation laid atop much of it, actually.

Thanks,
~Brian



On 1/2/2014 9:15 AM, Joseph Mack NA3T wrote:
> On Thu, 2 Jan 2014, Bill Farrow wrote:
>
>> I know it is off topic, but does anyone know anything about "blown in"
>> insulation ?
>
> as an ex-chemist, if you do it yourself, I'd find out about safety for
> breathing the fibres that will inevitably be filling the air. The lung
> isn't good at clearing small particles (hence coal miner's black lung)
> and they stay in the lungs and become calcified as the body's way of
> isolating them.
>
> I think only cellulose type fibres are used nowadays. I expect they're
> relatively safe compared to other options. Don't have anything to do
> with fibreglass. If you want to know more about fibreglass, post again.
> Rock wool contains fibreglass
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_wool
>
> If you have to have it, I would let someone else put their life in danger.
>
> The conical paper masks you buy at the home depot type places aren't
> useful: I wear glsses and much of my exhalation winds up passing over
> and fogging them. Thus I assume much of the inhalation phase of my
> breathing bypasses these masks as well. If you're standing the volume of
> air you need can be handled by these paper masks. However as soon as you
> start doing anything more energetic, like walking around, these face
> masks are overwhelmed. I expect if you ask any contractor type people,
> they'll say "she'll be right mate". OSHA laws aren't designed to protect
> workers; they're designed by lawyers to protect employers from lawsuits
> (we did everything according to OSHA!). I expect the only safe facemask
> is the rubber one that looks like a gas mask. I expect it won't be fun
> to wear.
>
> Joe
>